St Fidelis Grade 5/6 Camp at “Sovereign Hill” in 2026

The Grade 5/6 Camp was held last week at “Sovereign Hill”, Ballarat, from Monday 20 April to Wednesday 22 April..

The purpose of attending this camp was to provide the students with a worthwhile educational, living and learning experience.

Part of the Year 5/6 curriculum this year provides the students with a study of Australia in the 1800s. This study includes a look at the founding of British colonies and learning about what life was like for different groups during this period.

By attending our camp this year at Sovereign Hill, Victoria’s 1850s gold rush heritage was brought alive to our students through a number of exciting, creative, stimulating and interactive experiences.

The St Fidelis students experienced Sovereign Hill indoors, outdoor, above-ground and below-ground, giving a tremendous variety of activities and ensuring action-packed, fun-filled and educational experiences.

Amongst other things, the students participated in the following programs/activities:

Gold panning in the creek
Dressing up as characters in the Eureka story and by using Museum exhibits created pictures of the key events of Eureka
Experiencing a personal tour of the Goldfields
Experiencing ‘AURA’, the explosive multi-million dollar sound-and-light show

AURA immerses you in the story of gold in a 90 minute high impact, graphic presentation which explores the creation, discovery and impact of the precious metal then and now.

Under cover of darkness we travelled across the sprawling site, where AURA transformed Sovereign Hill into a moving theatre with hundreds of hi-tech projections telling the story of gold in Ballarat. The Wadawurrung creation story unfolded and soared into the skies over the lake. The gritty story of gold along with rebellion, gunfights, triumphs, and tragedies drew us into the drama of history.

Mine Tours
A gold smelting demonstration producing a $375,000 gold ingot
Viewing a Demonstrations of traditional candle-making
Visiting cottages and shops and buying some souvenirs
Visiting the heritage steam engines and boilers
Watching the parade of Redcoats

Congratulations must go to the Grades 5 and 6 students on the way they participated and

co-operated with both staff and each other. I hope that the students had a great educational learning experience.

To make the Grade 5/6 Camp a success, many people made sacrifices. Thanks, therefore, must go to the following people:

The camp staff – including Ms Comrie, Ms Zorzut, Ms Pirrotta, Mrs Wenckowski & Mr Tresize
The Grade 5/6 students’ parents for allowing their children to live away from home for 3 days to participate in this educational program.

SSV COBURG DISTRICT CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS 2026

The Annual SSV Coburg District Cross Country Championships is to be held at Jackson Reserve, Coburg (Coburg Athletics Track) on Monday 18 May 2026, commencing at 9.45a.m.and concluding by 12.30pm (Back-up day: Thursday 21 May 2026).

Events will be conducted for boys and girls in the 10, 11 and 12/13 year age groups.

The 10 year old boys and girls run 2km. Students turning 9 this year can compete in the 10 year age group. Students younger than this cannot compete.

The 11 and 12/13 year old boys and girls run 3km.

Each event commences at the track, continues into nearby parkland and concludes back at the track.

Each school can nominate up to 7 competitors for each event.

In the coming weeks, trials will be conducted at St Fidelis Primary School during Years 3-6 PE classes to select our team.

SSV COBURG DISTRICT TERM 2 WINTER SPORTS

At the end of Term 1, St Fidelis Primary School’s Grades 5/6 students participated in practice sessions to participate for

the St Fidelis Football, Netball and Soccer teams to compete in the School Sport Victoria (SSV) Coburg District Winter

Sport Competition. Primarily this is a Year 6 competition and Year 5 students are included if required.

SSV Coburg District Winter Sport games will be played on Fridays during Term 2, commencing at 11.30a.m. and concluding

at 1.00p.m.

CHARTERED BUSES ARE USED TO TRANSPORT PLAYERS TO AND FROM

AWAY VENUES UNLESS VENUE IS WALKING DISTANCE.

BUS COST $10.00

BUSES DEPART ST FIDELIS P.S. AT 11.00AM SHARP (AIA AT 9.00AM)

GAMES COMMENCE: 11.30AM

GAMES COMPLETED: 1.00PM

GAMES AGAINST AIA COMMENCE: 9.30AM

GAMES AGAINST AIA CONCLUDE: 11.00AM

Michael Jennings | Physical Education and Sport

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